A Mentorship Match Meant to Be: Martina Tripcovici, MD ’22

Dr. Martina Tripcovici can’t help getting active – whether that’s professional sports, academics, or now, jumping in to help others take a first crucial career step in medicine. It’s an instinct that served her well from rising junior tennis pro to busy internal medicine and pediatrics doctor, who’s never too stretched or tired to lend a hand to aspiring medical students.

Alumni Ambassador Award Recipient

Now in Detroit, MI, completing her residency in the combined field of internal medicine and pediatrics, and pursuing a subspecialty in pulmonary and critical care medicine, Dr. Tripcovici was surprised to find she’d won the Ross University School of Medicine’s Alumni Ambassador Award. “I didn’t know anything until I was told,” she explains. “It means a lot because I’ve always enjoyed being involved with students who are considering Ross. I’ve worked with something like 150 students and prospects now.”

That involvement goes beyond simple advice. She assists students preparing for what can be often overwhelming medical school applications, guiding them through timelines, reviewing personal statements and conducting mock interviews to help them become comfortable with what can be asked of them. “It can be a complicated process and there’s sometimes not a lot of clear information out there,” she notes. “Applicants need to pay for certain things, meet deadlines and be ready for very specific interview questions. I try to help them prepare for whatever is coming.”

Dr. Tripcovici’s own journey into medicine was never a question. “It sounds like a cliché, but I always knew,” she says. “I never really considered anything else from the start.”

From Tennis to Medicine, a Drive to Help Wherever She Can

Born in Germany to Romanian parents she moved to Montreal, Canada at age two, where she grew up dreaming of medicine and then finally heading to Ross – where she met her husband-to-be on her very first day. Dr. Tripcovici says she noticed he was wearing an NCCU tennis bracelet from his time on the tennis circuit playing for North Carolina Central University. “We both were going through the same experiences and we just connected right away,” Martina says.

Athletics played a big role in her early life. She played tennis competitively and attended the New Jersey Institute of Technology for tennis before turning her focus fully to academics. “My parents wanted me to prioritize school,” she explains. “With tennis, a lot of players don’t even finish high school before touring, so my education was always a priority for them.”

That same drive shows up in her medical journey and her ongoing efforts to help and advise others entering the field. “It’s a very rewarding profession, but it can also be very difficult,” Dr. Tripcovici says. “You have to be passionate about it. If you’re not sure, it’s going to be hard to get through med school, rotations and then residency. But when you know why you’re doing it, and you really care about people, it’s definitely worth it.”

Outside of work, Dr. Tripcovici is still passionate about exercise and travel, two enduring interests. She and her husband plan to move to Florida, a location close to both of their families. “It’s 30 minutes [by plane] from his in the Bahamas and two hours from mine in Montreal,” she adds. “We’ll be right in the middle.” Asked what keeps her mentoring new students, she’s quick on her feet: “I’ve just always liked being part of something—and helping wherever I can.”